Reliability and validity of functional health status and health-related quality of life questionnaires in children with recurrent acute otitis media.

In this study the reliability and validity of generic and disease-specific questionnaires has been assessed focusing on responsiveness. This is part of a study on the effects of recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) on functional health status (FHS) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in 383 children with rAOM participating in a randomized clinical trial. The following generic questionnaires were studied: 1.

Validity of the Dutch version of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Assessment Questionnaire, ALSAQ-40, ALSAQ-5.

The objective was to validate the Dutch translation of the 40-item and 5-item Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Assessment Questionnaire (ALSAQ-40, ALSAQ-5). Eighty-one ALS patients participated in this cross-sectional study. The measures used were the ALSAQ-40, the ALSAQ-5, MOS Short-Form-36 (SF-36) and Revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R).

Health-related quality of life in children with otitis media.

Background: Growing interest in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with otitis media has brought the need to study the currently available HRQoL instruments with respect to their results and their applicability in clinical practice and research of otitis media.

Objective: To review existing literature on health-related quality of life research in children with otitis media with respect to: (1) the measured impact of otitis media on HRQoL; and (2) the applicability of HRQoL instruments used in research and clinical practice based on their characteristics and contents.

Methods: A search was performed in EMBASE (1988-November 2004) and on NLM Gateway (1966-November 2004) for studies assessing health-related quality of life or functional health status by means of disease-specific or generic questionnaires in children aged 0-18 years with chronic or recurrent otitis media with effusion or acute otitis media.

Effect of pneumococcal vaccination on quality of life in children with recurrent acute otitis media: a randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Limited effectiveness of current treatment strategies for recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM) and increasing antibiotic resistance have diverted attention to prevention of AOM by vaccination. Pneumococcal vaccination for AOM seems to have only modest clinical efficacy. Thus far, the effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) or functional health status (FHS) have not been studied.

Interpretation of change and longitudinal validity of the quality of life for respiratory illness questionnaire (QoLRIQ) in inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation.

The quality of life for respiratory illness questionnaire (QoLRIQ) is an outcome measure for patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study assessed the longitudinal validity, reliability of the change score and the interpretation of changes on the QoLRIQ in inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation, completed by 108 patients with moderate to severe asthma (39) or COPD (69). Domains and total score of the QoLRIQ changed significant (all p < 0.